Uber, reluctant to become a user

[ArcticDriver]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: madRiver
There are no real numbers out there if riding in Uber is less safe then a cab. Google taxi violence and plenty appears.....


Technically I think it might be more dangerous in a cab. There are stories of cab drivers attacking riders etc., and it's up to the rider to figure which taxi driver it was afterwards. With Uber, they always know who the driver was. On the other hand because Uber doesn't do as good a job screening their drivers as taxi cab drivers, they could have more bad drivers. But in MA, they just finished rescreening Uber drivers and a lot of them with records and old convictions that didn't initially show up got kicked out. Again it all goes back to media reporting, it's fun for them to be alarmists about new technology, but ho hum about a taxi cab assault that happens on a regular basis but doesn't get report. Sorta like how the fender benders never make it to the news, only good deaths are.


Wolf,

I wonder the ratio of cabbies to Uber drivers. No doubt there are problem cabbies but I would be curious the actual breakdown of cabbie related crimes vs Uber related crimes as a total percentage of each population.

I don't know if Uber has changed its background check system but the last I read they are still not using applicants fingerprints but instead relying on public records of the SS#.

Fingerprints are cross-checked against the FBI database.

Taxicab pre-employment background checks have been more thorough from what I have read over the years. Does it matter to me personally? No. Does it matter to me when its my wife or daughter going to the airport or coming home from a night of drinking with her friends? Yes.

Uber offers a discount price over a cab company. How does everyone think they accomplish this if not for making cuts in employee benefits and background checks, etc? The law suits that Uber has been losing repeatedly in US courts supports this supposition.

 

[dlundblad]

We had a 50/50 success down in San Antonio, but the convenience sure was nice. The 2 people we used to and from the airport were the friendliest people.

 

[Cujet]

I use Uber and Lyft in my travels. It's helpful when it's just a quick trip, in a busy location, during normal hours.

However, when there is schedule uncertainty, and I suddenly need a ride, the wait can be annoying to downright dangerous depending on location. When there is schedule uncertainty, rent a car.

Only one bad experience, but it was a whopper. Driver showed up at the airport in a Premium car, an Audi A4. Not good enough for 3 pilots and bags on a long drive. He got lost too and drove us past a very long traffic jam, and we waited for hours when we turned around right into the traffic jam, to then finally go the right way. Very bad experience with 3 big guys crammed into a small car, with bags on our laps.

Oh, and when the concert or sports even lets out, good luck!

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Wolf,

I wonder the ratio of cabbies to Uber drivers. No doubt there are problem cabbies but I would be curious the actual breakdown of cabbie related crimes vs Uber related crimes as a total percentage of each population.

I don't know if Uber has changed its background check system but the last I read they are still not using applicants fingerprints but instead relying on public records of the SS#.

Fingerprints are cross-checked against the FBI database.

Taxicab pre-employment background checks have been more thorough from what I have read over the years. Does it matter to me personally? No. Does it matter to me when its my wife or daughter going to the airport or coming home from a night of drinking with her friends? Yes.

Uber offers a discount price over a cab company. How does everyone think they accomplish this if not for making cuts in employee benefits and background checks, etc? The law suits that Uber has been losing repeatedly in US courts supports this supposition.


It's hard to figure out because isolated media reports make it hard to get a good picture of the situation. You do hear about things happening with cabbies too, but it's just in the local paper, it doesn't make the national news as it isn't considered news worthy. Uber did some agreement with some states regarding background checks and a lot more of them recently got purged from records going back way longer, I think they only checked the last 3 or 7 years, but the registry went back way longer either 10-20 years.

As for the background checks, I don't think they skip it because of the costs, more likely because it makes it more difficult for a driver to qualify and it takes longer before they're on the road. They've lost lots of money, some of their low prices are due to venture capital. Another is that their rates keep going down for their drivers and they claim that the drivers make it up by being busier. Probably explains why they lose so many drivers, who wants to work harder and make less money?

 

[ArcticDriver]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359


It's hard to figure out because isolated media reports make it hard to get a good picture of the situation. You do hear about things happening with cabbies too, but it's just in the local paper, it doesn't make the national news as it isn't considered news worthy. Uber did some agreement with some states regarding background checks and a lot more of them recently got purged from records going back way longer, I think they only checked the last 3 or 7 years, but the registry went back way longer either 10-20 years.

As for the background checks, I don't think they skip it because of the costs, more likely because it makes it more difficult for a driver to qualify and it takes longer before they're on the road. They've lost lots of money, some of their low prices are due to venture capital. Another is that their rates keep going down for their drivers and they claim that the drivers make it up by being busier. Probably explains why they lose so many drivers, who wants to work harder and make less money?


Good point on the media angle.

No doubt negative Uber headlines are popular.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
In Southern California, the media does not consider negative stories about Uber to be newsworthy. In one case east of San Diego, an Uber driver beat and raped a young female passenger. It turns out that no background check was done or any drug testing. The woman was horribly beaten and thrown out of the car and the story hardly raised a ripple in the media, anywhere. Uber's response was that their legal staff was there to protect Uber but that the driver was an independent contractor and it was up to the driver to provide for his defense and other expenses. The driver was charged with many other sexual assaults including a disabled 13-year-old girl. Uber's response was to go on a massive PR campaign and suddenly offer even greater incentives to new drivers. Later it turned out that no upgrade in background or drug testings was ever introduced into their system.

One example link. Many drivers of this caliber have worked in the Uber system and may be currently working there, now. The turn over is very high. After being hired and working for some period drivers have been fired when criminal records show up during traffic citations, insurance cancellations, and accidents.

Uber is kind of the "in-thing" for people with a smart phone and it's cheaper than a taxi except during "surge-pricing" when it's very much more expensive. Fares on holidays and other busy time have been up to 7 times the published rates. So, just get out your smart phone and go for a ride.

When your wife or other loved one gets into an unmarked car driven by an Uber driver there's a good chance nothing bad will happen. But if it does the outcome will certainly be between you and that individual and the local authorities because Uber does not take part or have any interest in the process.


What is it like, living in constant fear?

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Uber in my area is around $15 cheaper each way than a cab.

But uber, specifically UberX cars tend to be small and dirty. Odd stains on the seats, dusty, and the car itself can be a loud and rickety mess. I thought they had strict requirements about the vehicles that drivers use but apparently not. One ride was in a 10+ year old Hyundai Santa Fe and a more recent ride was in an Aveo where the AC wasn't reaching the back seats.

In contrast, the shuttles I can take are newer minivans or full size vans and quite clean inside.

Taxis are hit or miss and usually somewhere between an UberX and a shuttle, quality wise.



I have experience with 3 Uber rides-all base, no X or Black. First was a 3-4 year old RX300. Second was a new Caravan. Third was a Camry. Aside from the van being dirty (too cold to wash it), no complaints. Polite drivers, clean interiors, well-kept vehicles.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: madRiver
There are no real numbers out there if riding in Uber is less safe then a cab. Google taxi violence and plenty appears.....


Technically I think it might be more dangerous in a cab. There are stories of cab drivers attacking riders etc., and it's up to the rider to figure which taxi driver it was afterwards. With Uber, they always know who the driver was. On the other hand because Uber doesn't do as good a job screening their drivers as taxi cab drivers, they could have more bad drivers. But in MA, they just finished rescreening Uber drivers and a lot of them with records and old convictions that didn't initially show up got kicked out. Again it all goes back to media reporting, it's fun for them to be alarmists about new technology, but ho hum about a taxi cab assault that happens on a regular basis but doesn't get report. Sorta like how the fender benders never make it to the news, only good deaths are.


Yes...many were kicked out for 30+ year old stuff, including one guy who lost his job because he got into a bar fight...in 1983!

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Less than a Starbucks wage to put all the miles and wear on your vehicle, while being a 1099 contractor. Not to mention picking up strangers with na
bad attitudes and run the risk of getting robbed.

A part-time Walmart shopping cart collector is a better job.


Pablum. Talking to actual Uber drivers, they love it...and several make pretty good money at it.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: madRiver
There are no real numbers out there if riding in Uber is less safe then a cab. Google taxi violence and plenty appears.....


Technically I think it might be more dangerous in a cab. There are stories of cab drivers attacking riders etc., and it's up to the rider to figure which taxi driver it was afterwards. With Uber, they always know who the driver was. On the other hand because Uber doesn't do as good a job screening their drivers as taxi cab drivers, they could have more bad drivers. But in MA, they just finished rescreening Uber drivers and a lot of them with records and old convictions that didn't initially show up got kicked out. Again it all goes back to media reporting, it's fun for them to be alarmists about new technology, but ho hum about a taxi cab assault that happens on a regular basis but doesn't get report. Sorta like how the fender benders never make it to the news, only good deaths are.


Wolf,

I wonder the ratio of cabbies to Uber drivers. No doubt there are problem cabbies but I would be curious the actual breakdown of cabbie related crimes vs Uber related crimes as a total percentage of each population.

I don't know if Uber has changed its background check system but the last I read they are still not using applicants fingerprints but instead relying on public records of the SS#.

Fingerprints are cross-checked against the FBI database.

Taxicab pre-employment background checks have been more thorough from what I have read over the years. Does it matter to me personally? No. Does it matter to me when its my wife or daughter going to the airport or coming home from a night of drinking with her friends? Yes.

Uber offers a discount price over a cab company. How does everyone think they accomplish this if not for making cuts in employee benefits and background checks, etc? The law suits that Uber has been losing repeatedly in US courts supports this supposition.


I have a chauffeur's licence and did NOT need to be fingerprinted for it.

 

[ArcticDriver]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Less than a Starbucks wage to put all the miles and wear on your vehicle, while being a 1099 contractor. Not to mention picking up strangers with na
bad attitudes and run the risk of getting robbed.

A part-time Walmart shopping cart collector is a better job.


Pablum. Talking to actual Uber drivers, they love it...and several make pretty good money at it.


That is because their old job was collecting aluminum cans and the market for scrap has been dropping since 2012.
Plus the grocers are installing devices which lock the wheels of their shopping carts when removed outside the parking lot.

Uber is a step up.

 

[ArcticDriver]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle


What is it like, living in constant fear?


Let me see if I can compare the fear to something BITOGers can appreciate.

Its not much different really than worrying incessantly that my motor oil TBN is dropping every time I go for a drive.

We all learn to cope.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
In Southern California, the media does not consider negative stories about Uber to be newsworthy. In one case east of San Diego, an Uber driver beat and raped a young female passenger. It turns out that no background check was done or any drug testing.


I drive Lyft and Uber both occassionally for fun. Both have no drug test. They just ask you "Do you use drugs?", very weak of course, so drug addicts and alcoholics, with no criminal record, could easily be Uber or Lyft drivers.

However, they take your SS# and drivers license number, so unless those are fake ID's (possible), those numbers with your name and address can open a floodgate of data in this day and age of databases from all kinds of government law enforcement agencies. They obviously look at driving records, and they require you to have your own insurance, knowing insurance companies stay on top of things too. For the person with a list of jail time on their record, such as you say happened with this crazy criminal, I don't see how it wasn't flagged. Felonies show up on databases easily. Misdemeanors too.

Driving it for fun is the way to go. I meet so many cool people. I just drove two hikers out of a state park yesterday, and they were a fun young couple. Many other examples over the last few months. Not all are fun folks, yet you'd be surprised all the cool viewpoints out there. With a lot of the guys we often talk car stuff. I picked up what I thought was 2 Russian-origin hookers yesterday, with perfume so powerful it almost made me pass out, but it turned out to be 2 Eastern Euro college students going to a party and looking 'good' to attract an immigration sponsor/hubby, a weird but interesting ride!

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Less than a Starbucks wage to put all the miles and wear on your vehicle, while being a 1099 contractor. Not to mention picking up strangers with na
bad attitudes and run the risk of getting robbed.

A part-time Walmart shopping cart collector is a better job.


Pablum. Talking to actual Uber drivers, they love it...and several make pretty good money at it.




That is because their old job was collecting aluminum cans and the market for scrap has been dropping since 2012.
Plus the grocers are installing devices which lock the wheels of their shopping carts when removed outside the parking lot.

Uber is a step up.

Check the forecast...you might drown in tbe rain.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Less than a Starbucks wage to put all the miles and wear on your vehicle, while being a 1099 contractor. Not to mention picking up strangers with na
bad attitudes and run the risk of getting robbed.

A part-time Walmart shopping cart collector is a better job.


Pablum. Talking to actual Uber drivers, they love it...and several make pretty good money at it.


That is because their old job was collecting aluminum cans and the market for scrap has been dropping since 2012.
Plus the grocers are installing devices which lock the wheels of their shopping carts when removed outside the parking lot.

Uber is a step up.

Artic Driver

What do you do for a living so we can put a negative spin on it?